1099 Form Guides

1099 Forms for Contractors and Freelancers

Independent contractors are not employees, so nothing is usually withheld from what they are paid. A business that pays a contractor reports the total on a 1099 form when the payment meets the reporting threshold. The contractor pays income tax and self-employment tax directly. Knowing which form applies to which payment keeps that process from going wrong.

The guides in this category cover the most common forms, their deadlines and how contractors can document their income. To compare contractor reporting with employee reporting, see our guides on employee wage reporting on Form W-2. Because contractor income often changes from month to month, our budgeting and income guides help with planning around irregular pay.